Sunday, February 27, 2011

Saint Margaret

Not many people were aware of it today, but my pastor and another pastor's wife called me a "saint".

OK, if you are a regular reader, you know by now......there is more to this story.....

Our head pastor taught our class and began by telling the story of catching this lady eating a donut. He said she told him that a "SAINT" gave her the idea to start over (eating well) on March 1st........

THAT WAS ME!!!! They called me a SAINT!!!! (sinner tempting with fat and calories)

Saint Margaret!!!

There have been several Saint Margarets throughout history. Jeff came across one in an art museum in Philadelphia years ago. I do not know anything about saints but she has become my favorite (out of knowing none).

Saint Margaret of Antioch
There are many different tellings of her story.  She met the devil in the form of a dragon and he swallowed her whole. The cross helped her escape the belly of the dragon safely. She is associated with pregnant women and childbirth. She is usually depicted with dragons around her.


INTERESTING!!!

Well, when I look at pregnant women....I immediately think...."I would rather be inside a dragon than be pregnant!!" So, I think I have A LOT in common with Saint Margaret of Antioch!!






Thursday, February 24, 2011

Brace yourself....

I am so tired it is ridiculous! I feel horrible because I am still getting over the flu. I worked 8 hours today at the church doing random things preparing for our annual Kid Mission Festival. So why am I up at 1:40AM???? I have no idea!!! I would love to know how our bodies can be so tired but can't sleep!!

Unfortunately, you my loyal readers....or random ones....will be tortured by the following:

We (Memphis) are having stormy, humid weather which causes havoc on my curly, untamable and at the moment short hair. Since I have been sick and in the house, I have sported the Kramer (from Seinfeld) look. However, I thought I would apply extra product to my hair today because I would be around church folk. After walking up and down stairs, sitting in a closet for an hour, crawling around the stairs, etc....I caught a glimpse of my reflection in a mirror. I looked like the Heat Miser dude on the Christmas special.
There was nothing I could do. I would look like that through church dinner and a meeting later that night.

As I was stringing lights down a forty thousand foot stairway, I got in a conversation with a security guard. He is really nice and friendly. We actually have the same conversation about every 3 months. I guess that is about how often I change my hair and he must think I am a new person. He likes to talk about the raccoons, fox, rats and such that we have IN the city. He always tells me to be sure and NOT eat the raccoons in the city. "They are nasty. They are not the same as country raccoons." 
The first time he told me this he was not facing me and he could not see the horror on my face. I realized he was not kidding. He eats these things. I know people do.....but......you don't have to tell ME not to eat my city raccoons!!!

Later this evening, in the meeting that I mentioned earlier......I was exhausted....feeling almost faint.....thought I might not make it to the end of the meeting. The leader was explaining that our children would be writing letters about the mission trip they would be taking. I realized that I had not heard a word he had been saying. I had been concentrating staying upright in my chair. I wondered if the leader would let the children know what "content" they wanted in the letter. I raised my hand. I wanted to come across polite and well educated. But what came out was.........

Me, slouched in my seat...my raised hand propped on Jeff's shoulder....zombie-like stare.....
"um...you...might...have...said....but....will...you...teach...how....to....write.....letter...."

Jeff and I are seated in the back, my son and his friends are across the room and his friends start to giggle.

A good friend of mine...we won't name names...we will call him "JOHN"...he is sitting in the front...he turns around and lovingly makes fun of me so the whole room....all parents and 7th/8th grade kids can see him mimicking how to write a letter......

MAZ.....you.....teach....my.....son.....write......letter.......HEE HAW......

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

What is the worst that could happen??

 I watched season one of Drop Dead Diva.

It is about a twenty-four year old, blond, skinny, female, model. One day she is driving to an interview to be on a game show and runs into a produce truck (in her convertible) and dies. She gets to heaven, she is mad, she hits the return button on the angel's computer (without permission) and it shoots her back to earth into a 32 year old, smart, female, fat, lawyer that is in the hospital with a gunshot wound. So now you have a funny law show about a full-figured, smart lawyer with a soul of a fashion smart, skinny blond inside of her. It is entertaining. Not looking for any emmys.

It got me thinking. What would be the worst scenario for me? The easiest would be for me to take the spiritual route. I am a christian so I could easily pick any life that would be anti-christian......so we won't go there. That is too easy. Deb (the main character) was skinny and shallow but did not realize her "flaw" until she was forced to walk around in Jane's body. I am a neat freak, a clean freak....these things I know about myself.....I wonder what I would find out about myself if I had to walk around in another life, another body............I don't like ANYTHING.....so then I wondered...how do I walk around in my life and my body???

Then I realized....I don't think I am supposed to.....Jane was happier than Deb because she was helping others. The focus was off of herself. That is when I am the happiest. When I am not thinking about me, I am the happiest.

I am still thinking about this one but the worst that could happen to me is if I was put into someone like Deb! A girl who was always looking in the mirror, wearing make up, shopping, up on fashion, spending money on clothes, purses, jewelry, perfume, etc...Do you know that we only have one mirror in our house? AND it is the mirror on the medicine cabinet!......well, yea....you guys have to look at us...I guess you DO know.....

What is the worst that could happen to you???..............please don't say taking over MY life and  body...that would be rude!

Friday, February 18, 2011

Going to Target....need anything??

I have been sitting in my house for a week listening to virus noises.
I decided the military should use this strategy to weaken and brainwash the enemy into thinking they are going insane or dying....

My husband decided he wanted some attention and joined the concert of noises today! He did this BEFORE he replenished the tylenol or gatorade (selfish).

I changed from my sweats to my jeans, changed from my house shoes to my converse and headed to Target. I took Max with me and had to keep shushing him. All his sentences started with "If I have the flu....." 
I thought people could hear him and that is why they were staring at us but......






Wednesday, February 16, 2011

I can move like a vampire!

I can start out in one place and then be across the room in a different position before you blink.................

BUT only under the circumstance of hearing the horrid and unexpected noise of vomiting above me.....

I was lying in the floor watching TV when I heard the most horrible noise which caused me to go from flat on my back to upright standing on the other side of the room all in one motion!

Jack was resting on the couch sick with the flu. I was not moving swiftly to help him.
I was moving to make sure the nastiness was not getting on me.
Unfortunately, I take after my father. The sound, smell and thought of vomit sends me into a dark place. It is my own private, claustrophobic hell. I pushed through this trauma while the kids were little. I am so happy now that they are older and able to take care of their own fluids!!

Jack asked "what happens if I get vomit on the couch?"....
 I said "UMMM, you won't!"
Jack, "but I'm weak"
 Me, "but your not dead".

Jeff picked up his trusty Airborne and OJ on the way home from work. I thought that was code for twinkies and whiskey.

Max is coughing up lungs. I had to shush him several times while I was watching our movie tonight. He said he couldn't breathe after he coughed. I told him to pick one or the other but both were distracting.

Friday, February 11, 2011

La...La....La.....La....The Looooove Boat.....du du du....

VALENTINE WEEKEND........GOING OUT TO DINNER TONIGHT

 Those of you who know me and Jeff are wondering WHO are THESE people ??????....
The girl in the blue is Jeff: 21yrs old with hair (someone might recognize their back porch if they read my blog)
The girl in the black shirt is ME: 18 yrs old before curves (good AND bad)



Anyway, the real purpose of this blog is to blog about my favorite Valentine's Day dinners.
They are not in any order.

*Jeff made me his mom's recipe for manicotti a couple of times....but once was in his dorm room at U of M. It was nice at the time. He hypnotized me with those ocean blue eyes and flippy hair. But now that I think about it, I am totally grossed out! I am borderline clean freak....OK, I am a clean freak. Can you imagine how gross that place probably was???


*Jeff took me to an old house in the woods in a small town on the way to Trenton. I barely remember the food, setting, etc.....I have seen an episode of Criminal Minds that reminds me of the evening...I think....WAIT A MINUTE.....I will have to think about that one some more...


*We got Krystals or Little Ceasar's often! That was fun! Until the food digested........hmmmmm, well......I miss the "poor days".....


*One time, he told me we would go to a nice place "someplace you tip".........we ended up at the Hickory Ridge Mall.......I thought he meant $$ tip....... not advice!!

OK....I got one....."H" and I sent Jeff and "R" on a scavenger hunt around the city (not using names so they can stay out of my craziness). We left clues in stores and restaurants that led them back to the apartment for a dinner. However, all I remember is that I had a migraine and drove down the wrong side of a street, head on into traffic. I was so embarrassed. We are still friends with these people so I guess it all turned out......

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!! Hope you have as much fun as I do!!




Tuesday, February 8, 2011

here a goat......there a goat....

Here is my first attempt at a goat.......it ended up a misfit.....

This goat was sad until I surrounded him with weirdos.....


Take a moment. Look at the people around you......now, don't you feel better?


Anyway, Why a goat? ......did you ask that?

Ziegenhorn....goat horn....goat herder
A missionary from Germany said there was a mountain in Germany called Ziegenhorn, goat mountain. I like that one!

My husband is one of three brothers and they are all crazy about their name! They think it is a rare name. Of course, around Memphis, all of us know each other..... but there are quite a few up north and I have been told it is a common name in Germany. I love the name because I love the man and his family!!

I personally went from A to Z when I married. I went from first in line to last in line. From being normal (for me) and being able to blend in with the crowd....to standing out and getting attention....from giving a name at a restaurant, to giving a hassle......from spelling your name for prescription meds, to spending 30 minutes thinking of "Z for zebra, g for goat, h for how bout giving this another try"......and my favorite is getting my paycheck from the schools..."Margaret Ziegenhor"...I had one to many letters to get the letter "n" on the check. I was not only a special education teacher. I was a teacher of the night...a lady on the corner....you get my meaning...

Apparently, it was fate that I would marry a goat in my future!! When I was in grade school, I had a monogrammed sweater, MAA. The neighborhood boys would yell MAA! MAA! MAA! every time I wore it.

I was destined to be a goat!


Friday, February 4, 2011

what twitch?

I just cut out 195 pieces for my latest quilt that I am making. I have a "due date" so I can't lolly gag on this project. I have been working diligently while answering academic questions, grading papers, doing laundry, dishes, cooking and watching seasons 3 and 4 of 30 Rock. Last night, I dreamed that Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Johnny Depp and I were quilting while watching the Superbowl and writing jokes about the players.

Yes, I know Johnny Depp is not on 30 Rock. He is my best friend. I met him at a circus in a previous dream that I have had and he told me we could be best friends and he and his wife would grill out with Jeff and I.

............now where is the pharmacy number.......I need to refill my meds..........

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

I miss teaching in the City schools....Drop and give me 20!!!

I decided to channel my inner city school teacher......I mean the city school teacher inside me....well actually both....

One of my students can take a 45 minute math lesson and make it 6 hours!!

.....staring.....listening......walking around.....sharpening pencil.....getting paper.....I actually don't know what he does and neither does he!!!

So I make him set a timer. If he doesn't finish, he does a set amount of specific exercises and starts the timer again.

He gets his lessons done on time.....almost every time!

The other issue is careless mistakes! For every problem missed because of careless mistakes....he must do 15 push ups! Any other problems missed....10 sit ups or as many chin ups as he can do!

The careless mistakes are going down and I suspect he will be in better shape for his upcoming "Climb Nashville" with his Scout Troop!!

It is also fun, funny after every time I grade his math instead of grumpy and upsetting!!

P.S.  A STORY THAT NEVER ENDS

This weekend one of my students released some anxiety on his "stupid math book" (his words to be voiced like eeyore)....
This idea was "sparked" by his uncle (the one whose kid has not been born yet)........thanks!
I believe there is more destruction planned....but for now....
here is what happened....

always be prepared!

no worries! our "school man of fire" was dousing the book with gasoline......well, he has the mustache of a fireman!

We all enjoyed watching the chapter on fractions burn after the Master Archer shot the flaming arrow!! You might want to ask him for the story!!

It was decided to save the rest of the book for further destruction.....


All is safe except maybe the breathable air, plants, water, neighbors, etc.....